Door closer



R. S. POTTER DOOR CLOSER Filed May l, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l mmmx Uec.,25, 1923.

DOOR CLOSER Filed May l. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "nur Patented ec. 25,i923.

ROBERT S. POTTER, OFGREEIIQVICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE &.TOWNE MANUFACTURING COl'IPANY, 0F STABIFORD, CONNECTICUT.

DOOR CLOSER.

Application Ied May 1, 1923. Sera1 No. 635,918.

1'0 all whom t may cof/wcm e Be it known that I, Ronnnr S. POTTER, a acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Greenwich, in the countyof' Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Door Closers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description. of the invention,such as will en able' others skilled in the *artv to which itapport-aine to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in door closers and particularlyto such as employ a coiled spring of fiat metal and a spindlev which iscooperable with checkingy means,one object of the present inventionbeing toso construct and arrange the spring operating and holding meansthat friction Y and binding of the parts shall be reduced to a minimumand the wear and loss of power incident toV friction shall be obviated.

A further object is to provide a. construction in which a balanced drivefor the spring shall be obtained, so that binding and 25 cramping of themovable spring-winding elements shall be obviated.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and arrangements of parts as hereinafterset forth and pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings;

v, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a door rcheck and closer showing anembodiment of my invention; g

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 1;

tFigure 3 is a plan view, and Y Figures 4 to 11 inclusive are views ofvarious details. f I

In the drawing I have shown a housing 1 in which the :closing spring isenclosed and a cylinder 2 disposed at right angles to said housing andmade integral therewith.

A nut 3 is locatedv at the juncture of the housing and cylinder and isprovided with a sleevev or tubular extensionv 4, in which the spindle 5of the device has bearing, said spindle'extending through the nut 3 andinto the cylinder 2. A crank 6 may be secured to the lower end ofthespindle and Athis crank is connected, through the medium of a'rod orpitman 7 with a piston 8 in the cylinder.

The housing 1 is: closed by a cover 9 provided with a central openingfor a sleeve 10 and through this sleeve, the upper end portion of thespindle 5 passes. A portion of the sleeve 10 is made with a reduced eX-ternal diameter to receive a pawl plate 12 and with an end portion 13having flattened side portions, to receive a similarly shaped openinginV a ratchet wheel 14. A pawl 15 which engages the ratchet wheel ispivoted to the pawl plate 12, and the latter is pro` vided with an arm16 which normally engages a lug 17 on the housing cover 9. The main armor lever 18 of the device (which is to be connected with the door framein a manner well understood in the art) is secured to the upper end ofthe spindle 5 and is provided with a depending lug 19 in position tocooperate with the arm 16 of the pawl plate 12.

The sleeve 10 constitutes a hub for a spring case 20 which encloses theflat metal coiled spring 21 of the closer. To afford convenient meansfor effecting connection of the case'20 with the sleeve or hub 10, thetop of said case is provided with a central hole having a toothed wall22 (Fig. 5), which receives an eXteriorly toothed portion 23 (Fig. 4) ofthe sleeve or hub 10. A plate 24 at the lower end of the case 2O servesto provide a bottom bearing for the latter and prevent cramping of theupper bearing afforded by the sleeve or hub 10 in the top of thehousing, The spring case 20 is provided with a slot 25 in which theouter end of the spring 21 engages as shown in Figure l.

The. bottom plate 24 of the spring case 20 surrounds the tubular bearingsleeve 4 but is spaced therefrom for the accommodation of the flange 26of a bottom hook member 2'?. The inner end of the closer spring 21 isengaged in a groove 28 in a tubular Winder member 29, the latter beingmounted to turn on the fixed bearing sleeve 4. The tubular Winder 29 isprovided atfits lower end with a lug 30 to engage a lug 31 projectingupwardly from the flange 26 of the hook member 27, and the latterincludes an arm 27a having a depending lug 27b which enters a slot orrecess 31 in the bottom of the housing. By these devices, the innerWinder 29 will be prevented from turning when the spring case 20 (whichconstitutes the outer Winder) is turned to Wind the spring during theswing oftheinain arm or lever When the de- Y Vvice is applied to aleithand door.

circles the spindle `5 (Figfl) .and-"is provided with inwardlyprojectinglugs 35, 35,v

Which: enter dianietrically opposite grooves orrecessesi, 36 in saidspindle 5; A lug 3'? depends from the member Sli iniposition to engagethe lug SQfin thelupper end of the inner Winder 29, and said nieiiiberBtiii- Qcludes an armf eiahaving a lug iudianietri`- cally oppositetheflug 37 to engagetlie lug `33 on the Winder member 29.

*When the closer is `{applied to a right hand j: 'door and the main armor leverl 18 swings Y to the right during the opening ofthe door,

the spindle B'Wi'll be rotated and motion will. be imparted through themember Se to the inner Winder or spi-ing driver 29.130 wind the spring21'roni thel inside.V Atsucli tiine'the 1 outer end ofthe springis heldfrom turning lbythe Ameans provided to prevent the outeiV Winderordriven-viz, the spring case 20,*

ironi turning, said Vmeans' including the `sleeve or'hub l0, pawl platel2 and the sta- J i" tionary lugl 171 ion the covert). During such.-"operation-:oi the closer a balanced drive forwinding-'thel spring isobtained by the two y'oppositely Vdisposed lugsg von= the member "3ecoacting with the opp'ositelyv Vdisposed grooves 36 in the spindle andthe two oppositely .disposed driving lugs 37,' 38 with the tWooppositely disposed lugs 32, 33 onthe spring driver vor Winder 29. i

Whenthedev'ice is. applied te :a lett hand Y door, the main arm 18 Will`swing to the left V,during the opening'oftherdoor andthe lug V19 on theunder side of said arm will drive the pawl platelfl` andwitli it, theratchet 'wheel-14, the spring case hub l0, and the spring case orv outerWinder ordriver 20 to wind the sp ing 'from the outside.- During suchcperationoif-the device, 4the inner Winder ordriver 29willbeheld Yfromturning by connection thereof-With the housing i inthe mannerVpreviouslyexplained.

Vl/Vith my improvement,'friction and binding ofthe movable par-tsemployed ineffect-y 'ing .the-winding of the closer spring either .fromthe inside vfor a right hand door-.or

l.from the'outs'ide for .a'left hand door, are

Y reduced to a yminimum and vthe eiiiciency-` as Well as thelongevity ofthezdevree will be enhanced. Y Y f Vtlaving fully vdescribed myinvention what .I claim as-new and desire to secure by Let-4ters-Patent, is

. 1. lnra'doorv closer, the combination with Y,1a.1housing, a spindle,Va fixed bearing member for the spindle, an arm for connection With adoor, connected with saidspindle, and a .closer spring Vin=the-housing,lof an innerV ...Winder connected With the spring and encircling saidfixed bearing member, an outer Winder encirclingthe spring and connectedtherewith, connections between the inner fonlpreventing theV turning ofVone of said Winders when the other Winder is turned.

Y 2. n a door closer, the combination with a1 housing, a spindle, an armfor connection with a door, connected With said spindle, and acloserwspring in thefhousing, of an inner Winder lconnected withthe'spring,` an-v Winder and the spindle',V connections between theouter Winder and said arm, and i'iieaiis o-uter-Winder encircling thespring and con-g `nected therewith, connections between the 'innerwinderir and .the spindle, connections betWeen-the'outer- Winder andsaid arm,

Winder 'andthe spindle including a inember engaging eachoi` said parts'at two dia- `the connecting means 'between the Vinner metricallyopposite points, and means forV 'l preventing the turning of onelof saidwinders when the other Winder is turned.

3. yIna door closely-the combination with a housing, al spindle, an armconnected With said spindle, anda springlin saidhousing, of an inneryWinder connected with theinner end of said spring, connections betweensaid inner Winder and vsaid spindle, anfouter Winder attachedfto theouter'end of the spring and including a icasefenclosing said spring, ahub mounted-inl the'topwof the vrhousingi,'andl aplate"constitutingabottom bearing member for 'said case, Vconnectionsbetween the'fhub` ofsaid outerwinder and Y said arm, 'and means' for`preventing` one of said Winders f from' f turning When fthe otherWinderfs turned.

4. In Va door closer, the combinationwith a liousingya'spindle'Imountedatherei'n, an arm connected With Vsaid spindle, and acloser springin said housing, of |ii-Winder within said spring andattachedthereto,'a"

member interposed between saidispindle and Winder and engaging both 'atdiametrically oppositefpoints', and; means for holding the outerl endIofthe spring from turning.

5. In a door closer, the combination with :rho-using, a yspindlemounted'ith-erein, an

armconnected With the spindle, 'and having diametrically oppositerecesses, and a. closerV `springintheihousing, of a; Winder Withinsaidwspring-and provided at'its; upper Vend Y with diametricallyoppositelugs,.amember Ainterposed :between the f spindle and: Winder y andhavingfdiainetricallyl opposite lugs co- Y operable with thediametrical-ly'opposite lugs on the Winder, said member :also havindiametrcally opposite-lugs :cooperable with the:diametrically-.-oppositerecesses' in the.

spindle, .and vmeans forpreventing' move-V ment of the outer end of thespring.

izo

' spindle, seid Winder 6. In e door closer` the combination with ahousing, e spindle therein, an arm connected to seid spindle, and aspring within the housing, of a winden within the spring and connectedwith the inner end thereof, connections between seid winder and saidhaving a lug at its lower end, L hook-member below said Winder andhaving a lug cooperable with the lug on the Winder, said hook-memberhaving a part entering a part of the housing, an outer winderSurrounding the spring and connected with the outer end thereof, andconnections between said arm and outer Winder whereby winding of thespring from the outside may be effected.

7. in e door closer, the combination with e housing', e spindle mountedtherein, an arm connected with said spindle, a, closer spring within thehousing, and means operable to hold the inner end of said spring Jfromturning, of winding` means for the spring interposed between the outerend of the spring and said arm, seid winding means comprising a casesurrounding the springv and connected with the outer end thereof, a hubconnected with seid case and mounted in the top of the housing, aratchet, wheel rotatable with said hub, a, pawl plete mount.- ed looselyon the hub and having an arm, a pawl carried by said piate to cooperatewith the ratchet wheel, and a lug on said {inst-mentioned arm torcooperation with the arm of the pewl plete.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specicetion in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT S. POTTER.

Witnesses:

EARL W. STUDWELL, CHARLES A. BERRY.

